Welcome family and friends. Here is my blog. It just seemed like the thing to do, you know? Peer pressure. Kidding! It's great this is catching on amongst all the cousins. Sure is difficult these days to stay out of touch, no? I kid, I kid!
Best wishes to all

The reception was to take place that night at around 6:30pm at the home of Carol Crane, Caitlin's grandma. The decorating crew (family) did a great job and the backyard looked wonderful. The planning wisely took into account some practical needs as well as the aesthetic. You see, 12-28-2007 turned out to be one of the coldest days so far this winter. We'd had a hard freeze the night before. So, being good planners, those in charge provided four or five of those standup heaters, which as you'll see, people understandably gravitated towards. Also the food was all of the hot and warming variety - cheese & potato soup served in bread bowls. Richard Crane manned a crepe station, which Ross Taylor patronized at least three times. I myself stuck with the hot chocolate. The cocoa station was equipped with the essential cocoa accesories such as marshmallows and peppermint sticks, as well as chocolate dipped spoons - which also recieved kudos from Ross.

Big Bro Jeffrey Dayton Taylor takes the opportunity to celebrate Caitlin and Ben's sealing as well as the UT victory over ASU the night before. Papa Jeff and little Bro Ross join Big Bro Jeffrey Dayton in celebrating Caitlin & Ben's sealing as well as the UT victory over ASU the night before. You can't really tell, but Ross is also wearing a UT cap.Aunt Becky with a well bundled Chloe, who peeped out for the photo op. Aunt Judy and Grandma Joanne huddle by one of the aforementioned heaters, sipping some of the aforementioned cocoa.Uncle Zack and his third cup of cocoa. No one wanted to tell him he'd had enough.Notice the heat from the cocoa fogging his glasses. Ben and Caitlin (looking cute in her wedding parka).It was a memorable day and quite a festive, enjoyable reception. Somehow the cold wasn't too much of a problem. If anything it added to the coziness and fun of it.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

These are some pics I took back in July. Like my Potter story, it just never occurred to me to post them. These actually were taken the Monday prior to the reunion.

I had heard that as a means of promoting the Simpsons Movie all 7-Elevens were going to sell Simpsons Merchandise. But, they were also going to take about a dozen 7-Eleven stores throughout the US and completely convert them to Kwik-E-Marts - the convenience store on the Simpsons tv show. Instead of Slurpees - Squishees, etc. It was funny to see people (myself included) wandering around a convenience store as though in a museum.

The store pictured in the shots is at 12ll W. Olive in Burbank, CA. My reason for going was sort of a dare. But really I made it into more of a dare than my friend Traci intended. She said something like, "I bet since you work for an airline that you could just take off and go see one of these made over 7-Elevens, couldn't you?"

I didn't really respond. Our conversation happened on Sunday afternoon. At the time I had mondays off, so I thought, "why the heck not?" I flew out to Burbank the following morning, told the cab driver to take me to the Kwik-E-Mart at 12ll W. Olive, got there, took my fill of pictures in and around the store, bought and ate one of the large cartoony donuts, then left the store and made my way back to the airport and came home.

Upon arriving home I quickly emailed the pics to Traci who replied that her boyfriend was dying of jealousy. Big Simpsons fan. Sorry Dude.